In Rue's Eyes
by TheAngelWriter
Summary: Rue is dying. Some say your life flashes before your eyes. Hers is just a memory. Rated K plus to be safe. Description of death.


_I look and see Katniss, that girl on fire from District 12. I hope she hasn't seen me since the tracker jackers. I hear a branch snap and then I realize… it was me. Did she spot me? She turns and immediately grabs her bow and arrow. I know she spots me when she relaxes. Surprisingly, she then speaks._

"_You know, they're not the only ones who can form alliances."_

_Oh does that mean she wants an alliance?_

_I show myself a little, maybe she wants to see me._

"_You want me for an ally?" I ask. I am surprised that she would consider a small kid like me as an ally. There is no use for me though. _

"_Why not? You saved me with those tracker jackers. You're smart enough to still be alive, And I can't seem to shake you away," she says. I blink a couple of times as I try to decided. What if she kills me? What if she just wants me for bait? I made sure she would not die, so she owes me. Her voice sounds soft and sweet, but still rough. I wonder if she likes to sing. Even with the small amount of times I have seen her I feel like I know everything about her. She's independent but still clueless in many things. Katniss seems to not see the loving, longing looks Peeta gives her._

"_You hungry?" she questions. She is not as oblivious as I thought. I swallow hard as my eyes wander to the meat in her hands. Of course I am, and it hurts. I've known hunger in our district but not to this extent. I at least had a little bit every now and then. "Come on then, I had two kills today."_

_I scoot into the open slowly. Then I find myself speaking. " I can fix your stings," I state bluntly._

"_Can you?" she questions. "How?"_

_I dig into my pack that I carry and pull out a handful of leaves._

_She eagerly asks "Where'd you find those?"_

"_Just around. We all carry them when we work in the orchards. They left a lot of nests there," I say. "There are a lot here too."_

"_That's right You're District Eleven. Agriculture," she states as she continues. "Orchards, huh? That must be how you can fly around the trees like you've got wings." I smile when she says that. It is one of the good things about me that I believe. Climbing trees is the only fun I have in my district. "Well, come on, then. Fix me up."_

_She flops down by the fire and quickly rolls up her pant leg. Which soon reveals the sting on her knee. It doesn't look too bad. Sadly, I have seen worse. I place a handful of the leaves in my mouth and chew. She seems surprised at my tatic. Soon I press the wad of the leaves on her knee. She makes a relieved sound and I giggle. Giggling and laughing make small appearances in our dismal situation. "Lucky you had the sense to pull the stingers out or you'd be a lot worse." _

"_Do my neck! Do my cheek!" she begs which makes me know she is desperate. I put more leaves in my mouth and chew them up. I put them on all of stings. All of the sudden she is laughing from the relief. I secretly smile knowing that I had helped her. Her eyes go to the burn on my arm. I had almost forgotten about it. She puts her weapons done. " I've got something for that," she says. She puts her weapons down. She puts what I hope is burn medicine on my arm. That brings sweet relief to the pain. _

"_You have good sponsors," I say. I have not received anything. _

" _Have you gotten anything yet?" she asks. I shake my head immediately. I wish I had her sponsors. She continues. "You will, though. Watch. The closer we get to the end, the more people realize how clever you are." She turns the meat. It looks amazing but at this point I would eat anything. _

"_You weren't joking about wanting me for an ally?" I question. She seems easy to trust but you never know. _

"_No, I meant it," she answers. I smile knowing I have someone watching my back. _

"_Okay," I reply while I hold out my hand for her to shake. We shake. "It's a deal." _

_I am pretty sure she is thinking what I am thinking. This deal will probably no last long. At least if we die we will be there for each other. We don't mention the short amount of time that the deal will last. For whatever meal we are eating I contribute some roots that taste like parsnip. I easily recognize the bird. In my district we call it groosling. Flocks of groosling are always seen in the orchards. We talk for a while. It's relaxing. _

"_Oh," I say. " I've never had a whole leg to myself before." I actually never have. Having meat is a very rare occasion. _

"_Take the other," she says quickly. I am startled by how quickly she gives up food. I would never share except for my family. I wonder what they are they thinking right now. Are they prideful? Are they preparing for the grief of my death? Are they, I need to stop. Then I remember I need to answer._

"_Really?" I question dumbly. I admit I did not sound the smartest. I know she is talking I just don't make out the words. I hope Thresh is ok. He is a teenager and though his muscular appearance he is kind. I look at the meat in her hands." Oh take it," her words enter my thoughts. I feel bad for taking her food. She puts the drumstick in my hand. "It will only keep a few days anyway, and we've got the whole bird plus the rabbit." I stare at the drumstick. My stomach coincidently grows at that moment. I give up and take a big bite of of it. The flavor may be a little bland but it is food. "I'd have thought, in District Eleven, you'd have a bit ,more to eat than us. You know, since you grow the food," she says. That is far from true._

_My eyes widen."Oh, no, we're not allowed to eat the crops."_

"_They arrest you or something?" she asks._

"_They whip you and make everyone else watch," I say. "The mayors very strict about it." My friend was caught taking food. I was so close to saying that to Katniss. She would have understood. My friend, she did not survive the whipping. I don't remember much at all but I miss her and she left me. I was a child and so was she. The mayor had forgotten what mercy was years ago._

"_Do you get the coal you want?" I ask. It's a fair question__, __I think._

"_No," she answers. "Just what we buy and whatever we track in on our boots. That's true. _

"_They feed us a bit extra during harvest, so that people can keep going longer," I say. I hate that this happens. I absolutely hate it. _

"_Don't you have to be in school?" she questions._

"_Not during harvest. Everyone works then." I retort. She has a weird look on her face. I find it quite funny as I almost laugh. _

I wish the world was not this way. We all could have lived in peace and harmony if Panem had never come around. The fact that this is true is just sad. We all could have been family with each other. A world without Hunger Games. A world where children are not forced to kill each other. It could have been prevented. There might have been a larger population but we could have figured something out. I would still have my friend. All those victors would not be traumatized for life. Nightmares and PTSD are caused by the Hunger Games. Families are murdered for the smallest of things or the smallest mistakes.. Threats are like compliments these days. Children being murdered for entertainment. In my District, being old is an honor. I bet that is how Katniss's District is. My family would be happy. Thresh would not be here and watching out for me. Katniss could have had an amazing life. I could have, everyone could have. I remember when I talked about the berries to Katniss. How I helped her destroy the Careers food. How I gave her a better chance in the games. I remember our mockingbird signal. I remember making breakfast. Also, I remember her holding me as I slept. Just like she is holding me as I die. I was so scared when I was in that net. Calling for Katniss so many times. It hurt knowing I was leaving her. I heard her shouting back. Now I lie here in Katniss's arms bleeding to death.

"You blew up the food?' I ask. The little strength I have is slowly draining.

"Every last bit." She whispers quietly. I smile. She can win after all.

"You have to win," I say firmly. She has to do that for me. She just has to.

"I am going to. Going to win for the both of us now," She promises. Katniss is definitely someone who keeps her promises. Then I realize I am hurting her. She has to watch me die I feel horrible. Its my fault. A cannon goes off. It must be for my killer. I am not angry at him though we are both meeting the same fate.

"Don't go," I whisper. She can't leave me 'till I am gone. I plead to anyone that will hear me.

"Course not," she responds. "Staying right here."

"Sing," I say in a barely audible volume. Katniss heard me. She coughs and starts singing. I can barely feel her tears fall on my face as she sings.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow._

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow._

_Lay down your head, and close your eyes._

_And when they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm._

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm._

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you_

My eyes slowly close by themselves. I am so tired. I can feel my breathing slow. I can feel my strength slowly dripping away. Death is still painful but I am not alone. Her tears are still falling and I dont have the voice or strength to comfort her.·My last word was simple at least. Her throat closes up as she sings. She still continues singing for me.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away._

_A cloak of green, a moon beam ray._

_Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay._

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm._

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm._

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you._

The world disappears and I don't want to die. I want to stay with Katniss. She was like a sister. I hope I will be remembered as a clever girl or Katniss's ally. Not as that girl who was speared. Knowing that Katniss loved me as her own sister she volunteered for I smile. Mentally wishing Katniss good luck I manage two words that only she will hear. Not the whole country. Not even my family. Just her. That is how I want it to end.

"I will win for you," she tells me as she cries.

"Thank you." I know she heard me when she gasps. The pain is unbearable. Is this how it always feels to die? My questions will never be answered is fine with me. I say goodbye to all that loved me. When Katniss holds me as I go to sleep. Forever in peace away from this dehumanizing and sadistic world.


End file.
